1987. november (125-143. szám) / HU_BFL_XIV_47_2

who is a member of the Polish "Freedom and Peace" movement, the Yugoslav Ingrid Bakse. the East Germán Astrid Roepke. the American Jim Skelley and the West Germán Helmut Horst. The Hungáriáns. Miklós Haraszti and Tibor Holczer.spoke about the 150-200 young Hungarians who refused to military service fór reasons of conscience. József Merza - a member of the catholic Bulanyi basis community - said that years ago he was dismissed from his job and arrested and that his són was sentenced to one and a half years in prison. Olga Diószegi gave an aceount of Zsolt Keszthelyi’s situation, he is serving a two and a half year prison sentence. Mary Kaldor. who was presiding, proposed the adoption of a letter addressed to János Kádár demanding the release of those held in prison fór conscientious objection and the practical enforcement of the U.N. Humán Rights Committee’s decision relating to this in Hungary. Miklós Barabás- the generál secretary of the Hungárián official National Peace Council - opposed sending the letter, bút more than fifty of those present signed the protest. The number of signatories was actually greater bút two signed sheets - full of names - mysteriously disappeared.

On Sunday aftemoon the Hungárián Miklós Vásárhelyi, the English Mary Kaldor. the Dutch Mient Jan Faber. the West Germán Dieter Esche. the Pole Jan Mintáéwiez and the Yugoslavs T. Masztnak and Sonia Licht spoke about the possibilities of cooperation between European democratic movements. Once again many people spoke. Judit Vásárhelyi, who is a librarian, reported on the ecological situation in Hungary and many people- chiefly Hungárián students - said that it was nőt only the links between East and West which were problematic bút alsó those between East and East: the authorities even frustrate travel between neighbouring East-Central European countries. Viktor Orbán- one of the organisers of the seminar - told of how the Hungárián authorities had tried to prevent the organisation of the conference in every possible way. A represent- ative from the Italian Communist Party alsó spoke.

The seminar was permitted to go ahead on the condition that the organisers invite re- presentatives of the official Hungárián National Peace Council (OBT). Although only two invitations were issued five people appeared to represent the OBT, a member of the party*s Central Committee Information Department - András Simonyi -, a delegate from KISZ (Hungárián Young Communist League) and a reporter from the Hungárián daily Nepszabadsag alsó came. Bút the Hungárián "officials" isolated themselves and their behaviour was disappointing. Miklós Barabás - generál secretary of OBT - opposed the adoption of all common declarations; he did nőt answer the question posed by young Hungárián of whether the Peace Council, which demands a piacé in the Western European Peace Movement - contrary to previous practice - will support travel to peace meet- ings abroad in the futüre; Le said that the Peace Council had no definite standpoint on the question of conscientious objection fór "historical reasons". Later the Hungárián press only published declarations by Barabás and other members of the Peace Council.

On Sunday evening the closing declaration of the seminar was read out. Miklós Barabás opposed the adoption of this declaration as a common statement. However more than one hundred signed the declaration in which the necessity of a common democratic movement which extends throughout the whole of Europe was argued - one which is nőt subjugated to the state.

Many of the seminar participants stayed togetner and continued the discussion until laté on Sunday evening. On Monday afternoon the organisers of the conference held a press conference.

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